So far, in my Ten Commandments series we've looked at the first two. January focused on The First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” February took a closer look at The Second Commandment, “You shall not make idols.”
To kick us off for March, let's meditate on The Third Commandment, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”
Exodus 20:1-17
The Ten Commandments
“And God spoke all these words, saying:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
“Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
“You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.””
The Third Commandment Exodus 20:1-17
The Ten Commandments
“And God spoke all these words, saying:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
“Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
“You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.””
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”
"Behold, The Ten Commandments, recorded in God’s Word!
To think they don’t apply to us would really be absurd!
The wisdom found within these laws, we cannot take away,
So how can we apply these truths within our lives today?
"You shall not take the name of Christ, the Lord your God in vain.”
Commandment number three declares our lips should bring no shame!
Oh keep us from hypocrisy, frivolity or worse,
Profanity is when Christ’s name is nothing but a curse!
Let blasphemy be put to death, let careless speech be barred.
May every reference to the Lord be said with high regard.
Holy, Holy is our God so let our tongues refrain.
May our words reflect Christ’s prayer, “Lord, hallowed be Thy name!"
Colossians 3:8
“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.”
Ephesians 4:29
“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
2 Timothy 2:16
“But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.”
Let’s Pray
Righteous Father, Holy Saviour, please forgive me for the times when my words have brought shame to Your name. Lord, You are Holy and Your name is not to be used flippantly, stupidly or as a curse and a by-word. I understand that it is an incredible insult to You, my Sovereign Lord, to use Your name in a disrespectful way.
Help me to meditate on Christ’s sinless sacrifice and how He laid down everything to have me. When I consider all He has done, how can I seek to dishonour my Saviour by showing anything other than awe, gratitude and respect?
Help me not to blaspheme Your name Lord, through careless speech, hypocritical words or profanity. May my words and life be filled with Your Holy Spirit and be a benefit to those around me each and every day. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
